The present invention relates generally to computer apparatus, and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to hinge structures used to pivotally connect the lid portion of a notebook computer to the base portion thereof.
As conventionally constructed, a notebook computer typically comprises a plastic housing having a base portion in which various of the computer operating components, such as the system planar board, are disposed, and a lid portion which carries on its inner side the display screen of the computer. The lid portion, in which the electrical display components are housed, is pivotable between a closed position in which the lid overlies a keyboard carried on the top side of the computer base portion, and an open position in which the keyboard is exposed and the display screen is generally perpendicular to the top side of the base portion and faces the computer user.
The hinge structure that pivotally interconnects the lid and base portions of the computer is normally anchored to plastic housing portions of the computer base and lid at suitable locations thereon. This conventional pivotal interconnection of the lid and base portions of a notebook computer carries with it several well known problems, limitations and disadvantages.
For example, to facilitate the retention of the opened lid in a selected pivotal orientation relative to the base (i.e., to keep the opened lid from simply falling shut) the hinge is typically designed to provide a fairly high degree of frictional resistance to pivotal movement of the lid relative to the base. Accordingly, a correspondingly high degree of torque must be exerted on the lid to move it between its opened and closed positions. This relatively high degree of torque is transmitted to the plastic base portion housing to which the hinge structure is anchored--typically by a plurality of mounting screws. Over time, this torque borne by the plastic base housing portion can tend to cause the hinge mounting screws to work loose and/or crack the plastic.
This conventional hinge structure also tends to be relatively large in a base-to-lid direction, thereby presenting a limiting factor with respect to how thin the overall computer can be. Since minimal size has become a key design criteria in the notebook computer arena, this characteristic of conventional lid hinge structures is decidedly undesirable.
Another disadvantage of conventional notebook computer lid hinges of this type is that due to the fact that they are directly interconnected between the plastic lid and base housing portions a separate grounding connection must be made between the lid and housings to ground the lid (and the electronic components therein) to the electronic components within the housing base portion. This requirement, of course, undesirably increases the overall fabrication cost of the computer.
In view of the foregoing it can readily be seen that a need exists for an improved hinge structure for pivotally interconnecting the lid and base portions of a notebook computer in a manner eliminating or at least substantially minimizing the above-mentioned problems, limitations and disadvantages commonly associated with conventional lid hinge structures. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide such an improved hinge structure.